Christmas Eve's just another cold night at shelter

Photos by Juan Carlo / Star staff
Victor Martinez, 84, was given an inflatable bed and some blankets for the night at the National Guard Armory in Ventura. More than 100 were expected to spend Christmas Eve at the temporary shelter.

Carlos Inchaurregui and his son, William, 3, watch a movie before going to sleep at the armory shelter in Ventura. Inchaurregui was a forklift operator for 20 years before poor health and a string of bad luck took a toll on his familys finances.

Juan Carlo / Star staff: 12/23/08 in Ventura: Jesse Merkel stays up playing games with a computer at the State of California Army in Ventura. This was the first day that the armory open it´s doors to homeless people and if funds don´t ran out they hope to leave it open until March.

Many of us are just one crisis away from being homeless, said Peter Brown, community services manager for the city of Ventura, as he stood Tuesday night inside a winter shelter.

That crisis could be in the form of your kid breaking his arm and facing medical bills you cant pay, Brown said. Or you might be in a car accident and left with thousands of dollars in repair bills and no way to get to and from work.

It doesnt take much, said Brown as he looked at a long line of inflatable beds, where more than 100 people were expected to spend the night at the National Guard Armory in Ventura.

Many are calling this the biggest economic decline in more than half a century.

Brown expects the number of people needing the shelter will be greater this winter than in years past because of the sharp loss of jobs and steep downturn in the economy.

About 120 were expected at the shelter in the next few days.

Open just a week, the shelter has seen a threefold increase in the number of people staying the night. To brighten up the Christmas holiday week, volunteers gave a present to everyone staying at the armory Wednesday night, Christmas Eve.

Carlos Inchaurregui was one of those spending the night. He had worked as a forklift operator for 20 years good and steady work that provided him with enough income to support his four children.

Then the epileptic seizures started in 2001. Inchaurregui lost his job in Oxnard at the age of 39, and his life began a downward spiral.

Hes found work since. But none of it has been long term or paid enough to support his family.

Now he spends his nights at the armory with his 3-year-old son, William.

Its a lot better than sleeping outside or in my Jeep, Inchaurregui said, with William sitting at his side on an inflatable bed.

Inchaurregui spends his days with the boy at a park. While he receives Social Security disability checks, Inchaurregui said. the money is not enough to cover rent and other expenses.

Dave Elliott, 66, worked in radio for 17 years. He moved to Ventura County in 1974. He said he had never been homeless until about six months ago, having lost his car in an accident earlier this year.

He has no steady job. He hopes to save enough money so he can start working as a talent agent. Meanwhile, he is spending his nights at the armory.

The experience, he said, has given him a window into the lives of other homeless people he might not have ever met.

Ive learned a lot, he said as he stood inside the cavernous hall.

John Condon, 70, a retired aerospace sales engineer from Thousand Oaks, has volunteered at the armory for three years. He sees the work as making a difference in the world, however small.

Condon said society has a duty to care for those in need. But he also worries about the growing chasm in this country between the haves and the have-nots.

Our middle class is getting smaller, said Condon, a Korean War veteran. Its a worrisome trend, one that he said is harmful to the country.

Brown worries if there will be enough money to keep the armory open until mid-March, when it closes for the season. Hes especially anxious about having enough money this year, given the lack of public funds and the growing ranks of the homeless.

Theres a real possibility we wont have the funding, he said. It costs about $2,800 a night to keep the armory open.

The armory receives funding from a variety of sources, including federal Community Development Block Grant funds. The money pays for everything from security guards to providing dinner and breakfast for those who stay there.

To raise money for the shelter, Brown has spoken to numerous groups, including churches. He noted many churches send money for missionary work overseas.

I tell them theres a lot of people who need help right here in Ventura County, right in their backyard, he said.

And his message has reached them.

There are a number of churches who are now contributing money, he said.

Brown would like to raise enough money for a year-round shelter, which he believes would be a lot more effective in helping the homeless.

Anyone wanting to contribute to the shelter should call Brown at 658-4707. He said the donations will go directly toward running the shelter.